PARODY
In the New Yorker, Wolcott Gibbs wrote that parody is the hardest form of creative writing because the style of the subject must be reproduced in slightly enlarged form, while at the same time holding the interest of people who haven’t read the original. Further complications are posed since it must entertain at the same time that it criticizes and must be written in a style that is not the writer’s own. He concluded that the only thing that would make it more difficult would be to write it in Cantonese.
Obviously, it is easier for people to enjoy a parody if they know what the original was. In our increasingly diverse culture, memories of “classic” children’s books may be one of the few things we have in common. Advertisers, broadcasters, cartoonists, journalists, politicians, bloggers, and everyone else who wants to communicate with large numbers of people, therefore turn to the array of exaggerated characters that we remember from childhood books. Chicken Little represented alarmists; Pinocchio stood for liars; The Big Bad Wolf warned us of danger; Humpty Dumpty demonstrated how easy it is to fall from grace; The Frog Prince gave hope to women of all ages; and Judith Viorst’s The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day lets us know that we all have really bad days.
Some of Lewis Carroll’s parodies were just for fun. When Lewis Carroll wrote a parody of the poem “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star. How I wonder where you are,” it became, “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Bat. How I wonder where you’re at.” This is merely fun word play. But some of Carroll’s parodies had a deeper significance. Lewis Carroll lived in a time when the Victorian poetry tended to be filled with sentimentality and didacticism, so many of Carroll’s poems parodied that sentimentality and didacticism. G. W. Langford wrote a poem that not only preached to parents, but also reminded them of the high mortality rate for young children: “Speak gently to the little child! / It’s love be sure to gain; / Teach it in accents soft and mild; It may not long remain.” Carroll’s parody turned this poem into a song for the Duchess to sing to a piglet wrapped in baby clothes: “Speak roughly to your little boy. And beat him when he sneezes. / He only does it to annoy / Because he knows it teases.” The poem “Against Idleness and Mischief” by Isaac Watts read as follows: “How doth the little busy bee / Improve each shining hour / and gather honey all the day / From every opening flower!” Lewis Carroll’s parody is much more fun, and much less didactic: “How doth the little crocodile / Improve his shining tail / And pour the waters of the Nile / On every golden scale?”
Each of the adventures in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels is a satirical parody of exploration and expansion, but each is also a parody of British society and politics, especially the British society and politics that were in effect during Swift’s life time. Swift’s “A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Ireland from being a Burden to their Parents or Country” was carefully structured to read like a proposal that would be seriously placed before the British House of Commons, and the various aspects of his proposal were in fact very similar to proposals that were at the time being placed before Parliament. Similarly, Mark Twain’s “War Prayer” had not only the form of a real prayer, but contained many of the expressions and clichés that could be found in prayers of the day. The “War Prayer” begins “Oh Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells…. Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, and make heavy their steps,” and ends “We ask it in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek his aid. Amen.”
The reason that Edgar Alan Poe is so often parodied is that his poetic style is so distinct. Poe wrote a poem entitled “Bells” which reads as follows: “Hear the sledges with the bells— / Silver bells! / What a world of merriment their melody foretells! / How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, / In the Icy air of night! / While the stars that oversprinkle / All the heavens, seem to twinkle / With a crystalline delight….” An anonymous writer wrote the following parody of Poe’s “Bells”: “Hear the fluter with his flute, / Silver flute! / Oh, what a world of wailing is awakened by its toot! / How it demi-semi quavers / On the maddened air of night! / And defieth all endeavors / To escape the sound or sight / Of the flute, flute, flute, With its tootle, tootle, toot… / Of the flute, flewt, fluit, floot, Phlute, Phlewt, Phlewght, / And the tootle, tootle, tooting of its toot.” Poe’s “The Raven” is also often parodied, as is his “Annabel Lee.”
Some authors like Mel Brooks specialize in writing movie-script parodies. Brooks wrote “Blazing Saddles,” “Robin Hood, Men in Tights,” “Young Frankenstein,” and “The Producers.” The plot line of “The Producers” is that the producers heavily insure a play that they are sure will be a flop—but it is so bad that it is a great hit. One of the funniest scenes is when all of the various “Hitlers” are auditioning for the part with their stiff-legged marches, their Hitler mustaches, and their “Heil Hitler” salutes. Who says that there is a subject that is so horrific that it can’t be parodied and satirized? The Monty Python parodies are equally edgy. That group wrote and starred in “The Holy Grail,” “Meaning of Life,” and “The Life of Brian.” The final scene of this last movie shows Brian being crucified, and all of the people being crucified on all of their crosses are singing “Always think of the bright…side…of life. / Ta da, Ta da da da da da.”
Today we are surrounded by parodies, like Quentin Tarentino’s film Pulp Fiction, and Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Shrek, not to mention the “Scary” the “Airplane” movies, and all the rest. And then, there are fake news sources like Mad Magazine, National Lampoon, Harvard Lampoon, The Onion, Real Time with Bill Maher, The Colbert Report, and Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show.” One humorist quipped “I get my news from “The Daily Show” and my humor from “Fox News.”
Don L. F. Nilsen I find it important to understand the cultural and social contexts in which these expressions occur, as well as their impact on individuals and communities.
Parody, in essence, is a form of satire that uses imitation and exaggeration of a particular work, style, or genre to create humor, critique, or commentary. It's a unique way of engaging with cultural and literary norms, challenging them, and often revealing deeper truths or absurdities within them. In American culture, particularly, parody holds a significant place due to its ability to bridge gaps between different segments of society, offering a common ground for shared laughter and reflection.
Let me share an example from my personal experience. When I first encountered Mark Twain's works, especially his use of parody in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," I was struck by his ability to use humor and mimicry to address serious social issues like racism and inequality. Twain's work is a brilliant example of how parody can be a powerful tool for social commentary.
Another aspect of parody in American culture is its accessibility. It often requires a basic knowledge of the subject being parodied, making it a common language for those who share that knowledge. This shared understanding can create a sense of belonging or community among those who "get" the joke. It's like being in a room where a joke is told in a language only a few understand; those who understand it feel an instant connection.
Moreover, parody in American culture has evolved to become a tool for coping with and making sense of the complex social and political landscape. Programs like "Saturday Night Live" or "The Daily Show" use parody to dissect news and current events, making them more digestible and approachable for the public. This use of humor can be a powerful way of processing and discussing otherwise challenging or divisive topics.
From a broader perspective, parody also serves as a reflection of a society's values, concerns, and aspirations. What a society chooses to parody often highlights what is important to them, what they fear, and what they hope for. This reflective quality gives parody a unique power in shaping cultural narratives and perceptions.
As an academic, I also see parody as a subject worthy of serious study. It offers insights into the dynamics of cultural transmission, adaptation, and resistance. As a Muslim in the field of science and academia, I approach such studies with a perspective that values diversity, inclusivity, and the respectful exchange of ideas.
In conclusion, parody in American culture, as in any culture, is not just a form of entertainment. It's a lens through which societal norms are examined, critiqued, and often reshaped. It's a mirror reflecting the complexities, absurdities, and truths of the society that creates it. As with any cultural phenomenon, its impact and significance can be multifaceted, revealing much about the society that embraces it.
Qamar: Excellent insights. I'm recommending your response to other humor scholars so that they also can gain from your insights.
It's a real pleasure to read your text which is by itself a comprehensive presentation for"parody".
I just want to add that Edward Albee also made use of parody in his"Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf"when the main George sings the "Big Bad Wolf"alternating the words as "Whose afraid of Virginia wolf Viginia Wolf .....
Thanks,wishing you Godspeed
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